Nottingham Forest is back at the City Ground tonight, aiming to secure a spot in the Europa League last 16 after a strong performance in the first leg.
The team achieved a convincing 3–0 win in Istanbul last week, marking their biggest-ever European away victory. Goals from Murillo, Igor Jesus, and Morgan Gibbs-White highlighted a successful managerial debut. Despite losing 1–0 to Liverpool in their last match, Forest is in a good position, needing only to avoid a two-goal defeat to advance. They will be eager to impress their home crowd.
Fenerbahçe, on the other hand, faces significant challenges following a tough home loss. The Yellow Canaries have never advanced after losing the first leg in their 26 attempts. They managed a 1–1 draw in their last Bundesliga match against Kasımpaşa but are currently dealing with injuries. Historically, they have struggled in England, winning just one of their last 10 away games.
Nottingham Forest vs Fenerbahçe – Match preview and team news
- Date: Thursday, 26 February 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
- Venue: City Ground, Nottingham
- Referee: Maurizio Mariani
- VAR: Marco Di Bello
- Last Meeting: Fenerbahçe 0–3 Nottingham Forest (19 Feb 2026), Europa League
Team News
Nottingham Forest
Vítor Pereira has indicated he will make several changes to energize the team, noting the need for improved performance. The squad remains largely unchanged as several key players are still out. Matz Sels (groin) is expected to return to training soon, while Chris Wood, Nicolò Savona, John Victor, and Willy Boly (all knee) will miss the match. New arrival Luca Netz is also ineligible.
Fenerbahçe
Fenerbahçe is facing an injury crisis with several key players sidelined, including Milan Škriniar, Çağlar Söyüncü, Anderson Talisca, Ederson, and Edson Álvarez. Additionally, Jayden Oosterwolde is both injured and suspended, while Fred is out due to yellow card accumulation. Mert Günok and Anthony Musaba cannot participate in this competition.
Form
Nottingham Forest
A win tonight would give Forest three consecutive major European victories for the first time since the 1983-84 season. Although they lost narrowly to Liverpool, they have a strong home defensive record in the Europa League, keeping clean sheets in the last three matches at the City Ground.
Forest has a 65% clean sheet ratio at home in major European competitions, which ranks among the best for teams with significant home matches. However, their recent domestic form has been challenging, having not won in three consecutive home games.
Fenerbahçe
Fenerbahçe must break an unfavorable trend in England, where they have only one win in their last 10 away European matches. They come into this game after a 1–1 draw with Kasımpaşa, marking their second straight match without a win. Though they are unbeaten in 14 away matches, they have historically failed to advance from their previous 26 European knockout ties when trailing after the first leg.
Predicted Lineups
Nottingham Forest Predicted XI: Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Sangare; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus
Fenerbahçe Predicted XI: Cetin; Semedo, Demir, Efe, Muldur; Brown, Guendouzi, Kante; Asensio, Cherif, Akturkoglu
How to Watch Nottingham Forest vs Fenerbahçe?
In the UK, the match will be shown live on TNT Sports 1, with streaming available through the discovery+ app.
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